Improvement in machines for pressing tobacco



UNITED STATES PATENT @einen WILLIAM H. WATSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR PRESSING TOBACCO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,489, dated November6, 1866.

` To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WATSON, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented, made, andapplied to use certain new and useful Improvements in the Constructionand Operation of Machines for Pressing Tobacco and other substances 5and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and correctdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, in which'- Figure l is a side elevation of myimproved machine; Fig. 2, a vertical cut-section of the same; Fig. 3, alongitudinal section of the lower half of the machine 5 Fig. et, a viewof the removable side plate employed; Fig. 5, a front view of thecutting apparatus employed by me; Fig. 6, a vertical cut-section of thecutting apparatus, piercers, and lifting-table used by me in someinstances. Fig. 7 are detached views of the counting apparatus employedby me.

In the drawings like parts ofthe invention are indicated by similarletters of reference.

The nature of my invention consists, (tu) in the use or employment of apressing-surface formed by combining a series of bars or plates, A,constructed and operating as hereinafter fully made known; (1),) in'combining with the same a feeding or pressing surface, formed bycombining a series of bars or plates, B, conv structed and operated ashereinafter described; (0,) in piercing the tobacco, substantially asshown, for the purposeshereinafter set forth 5 ((1,) in constructing thewheels so that they shall force forward the bars or plates A and B whenin operation, as hereinafter fully described; (6,) in the use oremployment of a cutting apparatus for cutting the tobacco, ashereinafter fully described 5 (f,) in combining with the piercer amovable table, as hereinafter described, (g,) in combining with atobacco-pressing machine a counting or registering apparatus, ashereinafter fully described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same.

D shows the lower frame of my improved machine, composed of two sidepieces bolted together and supported by the legs E. F shows thedriving-shaft of the machine, running its entire length, and supported,also, in holes in the legs E. This shaft is a crankshaft, and hasattached to it the treadle G. Upon this shaft, about midway its length,is placed the screw H, gearing into the cog-wheel I upon the shaft J,and upon the forward end of the shaft F the pin R, operating thewormwheel L.

J is a shaft, held in the lugs ay a, having upon it the cogwheel I andpinion M, gea-ring into the cog-wheel N upon the shaft O.

At the back end of the frame D is hung the roller P upon the shaft Q,over which roller the belt R passes.

The frame is grooved upon its interior, as at d d, to receive and retainin position the bars or plates B, forming the lower pressing-surface, bywhich the tobacco or other material is pressed. These bars or plates maybe made of steel, iron, or any suit-able material, and are soconstructed that their ends shall fit snugly into the grooves d d in thesides of the frame and their faces project beyond the same.

In order that the tobacco in its passage through the machine shall notadhere to the bars or plates, I propose to vitrify, enamel, or coverwith soluble glass the same, thus presentin g a perfectly smoothsurface, over which the tobacco must glide freely.

O shows a shaft, placed about midway the length of the frame D, uponwhich shaft is held the grooved wheel S, which gives motion to the barsor plates B and the cog-wheel N, gearing into the cog-wheel N upon theshaft J. It will be observed that this wheel S is so constructed that itshall force forward the bars or plates B when in operation. This isparticularly desirable in the presentinstance, because it serves to keepthe bars or plates closely together and gives an easier pressure to thematerial to be pressed. y

D2 shows the secondary or upper frame of the machine, about half thelength of the lower frame, which frame D2 is attached to the lower framein any convenient manner, and is so placed that the bars or plates Acontained in the same shall fall directly over the bars or plates B heldiu the lower frame, D.

E2 is a shaft upon which is the grooved wheel F2, operating the bars orplates A. This upper frame is grooved upon its interior to admit andreceive the bars or plates A, constructed similar to the bars or platesB contained in the lower frame.

Upon the shaft E2 is the cog-wheel G2, gearing into the cog-wheel H2upon the shaft O.

Upon the shaft I2, at the front of the machine, is held the worm-wheelL, operated by the pin K upon the drivin g-shaft F. Directly above thisshaft is the frame-work J2 for supporting and operating the piercer K2through the medium of the worm-wheel L. This framework Islides ingrooves placed upon the inside of the frame. This frame-work is providedwith the lugs c, against which lugs the .pins e, inserted in theworm-wheel, impinge for the purpose of throwing back this frame-work, towhich is attached this piercer. This piercer is simply a plate of anydesired shape and size, attached, as previously stated, to a framework,and is employed to open the end of the plug of tobacco while it is beingcut.

The object of opening the end of the plug is that one end of the wrappermay be inserted in the opening made in the plug, thus serving to keepthe wrapper in position around the plug during the subsequent treatmentto which the plug is subjected.

L3 is a table hung upon the rod f, inserted in the sides, of the lowerframe. This table L3 is provided with the projections g, attached to itsunder side, which rest upon the surface-cams h, keyed upon 'the shaftL2. These cams serve to raise the forward end of the table after thetobacco has been pierced by the piercer, by which elevation of the tablethe tobacco may be forced Iout from the machine and over the piercer bythe succeeding plug of tobacco fed upon the table.

M2 shows a vertical movable frame, supported at the front end of themachine by the frame N2 and support O2 for the same, the sides of thismovable frame being dovetailed to t into the same.

P2 is the' knife-head or head to which the knife P3 is attached in anyconvenient manner, which knife-head is dovetailed upon its top andbottom edges to iit into the frame M2.

P3 shows a knife held in the knife-head and projecting a little belowtheopening. i shows a pin attached to the frameM2, which pin passes througha slot in the movable frame, and also through a slot in the knife-head.

j is abar extending across the movable frame, upon which bar 'the pin 7cupon the wormwheel L impin ges, throwing the movable frame andknife-head down, while a lateral :movement is given to the knife-head,as it descends, by means of the slot in the same, through which passesthe pin.

l shows a spring placed directly beneath the movable frame for thepurpose of restoring the same to its position; and m is a spring tothrow the piercer forward after it has opened the end of the plug oftobacco.

Q2 is a removable side plate placed between the side of the frame andthe raised portion of the bars or plates, and extending through themachine, forming sides for the feed-box and the pressing-surfaces. ThebeltPt passes over I placed upon a series of rings can be readily.

seen. The box or case is provided upon its interior with recesses toreceive the rings, these recesses being placed around each other, andeach being made larger in circumference than the preceding one,commencing with the central recess.

The rings I designate as unit, tenfand hundred rings, and place uponthem figures as follows: Upon the unit-wheel, l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0; uponthe ten-wheel, 00 l0 2() 30 40 5() 60 70 80 90; upon the hundred-wheel,000 l0() 200 300 400 500 600 700 80() 900. All the rings are providedwith a series of pins, 2, upon their backs, which pins are operated ashereinafter described, and the unit and ten wheels are provided withsprings 3, for the purpose in one case of causing the ten-wheel, and inthe other case the hundred-wheel, to advance once for each en tirerevolution of the preceding ring.

Directly behind the rings is the disk 4, having teeth or spokes insertedin its periphery, and also upon its inner face the bent pin 5. Thebox'or case 1 has its outer rim slotted to allow the spokes 6 to projectthrough the same.

The counting apparatus thus constructed is attached at the front of themachine, and the spokes upon the disk are operated by a pin, 8, upon thedriving-shaft F. At each revolution of this shaft this pin impinges uponone of the spokes, and when the shaft has made twelve (l2) revolutionsthe pin upon the same has impinged upon each of the twelve (12) spokesand the disk has perfected an entire revolution. As this is accomplishedthe bent pin 5 upon the disk is brought into contact with one of thepins upon the back of the unit-wheel, causing the same to advance once.By this movement of the unit-wheel (the counting apparaf tus having beenproperly set-that is to say, so that the rings register thus: theunit-wheel 0, the ten wheel 00, the hundredwheel 000) the figure l uponthe unit-wheel is brought under the opening in the box or case, thusindicating that one plug of tobacco has been made, cut off, and piercedby the machine, and this operation of the unit-wheel is continued untilnine has been registered. When the tenth plug of tobacco has been made,cut off7 and pierced, the spring upon. the unit-wheel impinges upon theten-ring, causing the ten-wheel to advance one place, and at the sametime the unit wheel or ring advances also, so that the figure l0 of theten-ring andv the figure 0 of the unit-ring are shown directly beneaththe opening of the box or case.

The operation of the counting apparatus continues until ninety-nine (99)plugs of tobacco are registered, when the spring upon the tenringimpinges upon the hundred-ring, operating it one place and bringing theiigures 100 under the opening. The unit and ten rings also advance, andthe gures then beneath the opening are 100 OO 0.

The operation just described of the counter is repeated, and the numberof the plugs registered may be increased by increasing` the number ofthe rings.

The operation of the other parts of the machine may be thus described:Motion being imparted to the drivin g-shaft sets all the oper ativeparts of the machine in operation. The tobacco or other material to bepressed is fed into the machine at its rear end upon the endless beltplaced around the lower wheel and the lower bars or plates, and is drawnin between the upper and lower bars or pressingsurfaces, and as itpasses through between the same is compactly and thoroughly pressed. Asit is delivered from the pressing-surfaces it runs out upon the table.Vhen arsufrlcient quantity ofthe pressed tobacco to form a plug of thedesired size has been run upon the table, the pin 7c upon the worm-wheelL impinges upon the bar j, throwing the knife-head (in which is theknife) down and cutting off the tobacco, the knife having a combineddownward and lateral movement, the latter being imparted to it by meansof the slot in the same.

Simultaneously with the downward more ment of the knife the piercer K2,operated by the pins e upon the sides of the worm-wheel, is forced intothe end of the plug of tobacco previously pressed by the machine, bywhich operation the same is opened for the purpose already described.These operations having been performed, and the pin L upon the worm Lhaving passed by the bar upon the knifeframe, the knife is thrown up bythe springl at the bottom of the knife-frame, and at the same time thepiercer 'is thrown back by the spring m, and the cams h upon theworm-wheel L, upon which rest the lugs attached to the table, raise thesame and hold it in the raised position until sufficient tobacco to formthe succeeding plug is fed from the machine; and when this isaccomplished, and the plug previously cut off and pierced has beendelivered,

Vthe table drops, and the operations just described are repeated.

The sides may also, when desirable, be enameled, vitried, or coated withsoluble glass to prevent the tobacco adhering to them.'

The advantages arising from the use of pressing-surfaces made as shownis their economy of construction, non-liability to get out of order, andthe readiness with which they canbe replaced should they become derangedor broken in the machine.

In Fig. 6 a mode of operating Vthe knife, piercer, and table is shown,which is sometimes employed by me. In this case a toggle-joint, 35, isemployed, the upper end of which is hung to the bridge or cutting plate,its lower end being secured in a socket in the lower end of the movableknife-frame. A bar, 3G, passes through the toggle-joint, and is providedwith pins, which operate the toggle-joint 35. The bar is bent, as at W',to form a head, to which the piercer is attached. The bar may beoperated by any toothed wheel connected with the machine and ruiming ata suitable speed for the purpose, and as the bar is thrown back theknife, piercer, and table will be operated simultaneously.

Having thus described my present invention, what I claim therein as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The use or employment of a pressing-surface formed by combining aseries of bars or plates, A, consti-noted and operating as described,for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the same, of a feeding or pressing surfaceformed by combining a series of bars or plates, B, when combined,constructed, and operating substantially as described, for the purposespecified.

3. Piercing the tobacco substantially as shown, for the purposedescribed.

et. Constructing the wheels operating the bars or plates A and B so thatthey shall force forward the same, as herein fully described, for thepurpose set forth.

5. The cutting apparatus, constructed substantially as described, forcut-tin g the tobacco.

6. The combination of the piercer with a movable table, for the purposesshown.

7. Combining with a tobacco-pressing machine a Counting or registeringapparatus, for the purposes set forth.

W. H. WATSON.

In presence of- A. SIDNEY Donna, S. M. OSTRANDER.

